1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting device for connecting an external function device having an arrangement for closing flow paths by accommodating clamping device and a pressure-measuring unit and/or a length-measuring unit for detecting a clamping force and/or a distance, thus making it possible to monitor the status of the clamping device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Connecting devices for connecting an external function device to an arrangement for diagnostic and treatment methods and the like, such as those used in the medical technical field in particular, are known from the prior art. Such connecting devices are used in particular in arrangements for treating blood in extracorporeal blood circulations. The connecting devices are also equipped with various components which assign a defined functionality to the connecting devices. These components include, for example, sensors or actuators which fulfil a very specific function within the arrangement (for example, pressure measurement). In addition, the known arrangements also include clamping devices or valve devices for opening and closing fluid paths.
Additional clamping devices or valve, devices are often necessary within an arrangement for adaptation of novel, more complex treatment and diagnostic methods or the like.
It is a disadvantage that it is impossible to easily integrate additional clamping devices or valve devices into an existing device. Thus if all the clamping devices or valve devices present on the device side are occupied but additional clamping functions are needed, these methods cannot be applied to the existing arrangements. Another disadvantage is that the use of such methods can be implemented only through extensive structural and technical revision of the arrangement, which is extremely time-consuming and also expensive.
DE 10 2009 036 101 describes a connecting device for connecting at least one external function device to an arrangement by pressing the external function device between two contact points. The connecting device here is equipped with a pressure-measuring unit for measuring the pressure in a pressure-measuring device that represents the external function device. The defined function of measuring the pressure inside the arrangement is assigned to the connecting device through the combination of the pressure-measuring unit with the pressure-measuring device.
DE 44 19 593 describes a device for measuring a fluid pressure. The device, described here is equipped with a pressure-measuring unit to measure a fluid pressure inside a pressure-measuring device. Here again, the defined function of measuring the pressure is assigned to the connecting device in the combination with the Pressure-measuring unit and the pressure-measuring device.